Fire-escape



2 Sheets-Sheet I.

Patented Mar. I4, |899.

G. FABE FIRE ESCAPE.

(Application led June 11, 1898.) (No Model.)

Witwe/.mao

No. 620,902. Patented Mar. I4,` |899. s. maa.

FIRE ESCAPE.

(Application Bled Juno 11, 1898.) (No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE EAEE, or sr. LOUIS, MISSOURI.

FIRE-ESCAPE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 620,902, dated March14, 1899.

Application filed June 11,1898. Serial No. 683,198. (No model.)l

T0 all IUI/tom it may concer-71,.'

Be it known that I, GEORGE FABE, a citizen of the United States,residing at St. Louis, in

the State of Missouri, have invented a new and useful Fire-Escape, ofwhich the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in lire-escapes; and the primaryobject thereof is to provide a simple and effective device to beattached to a building by Ineans of which a person may readily descendin safety in the event of fire or a person ascend to any of the windowsof the building for the purpose of effecting a rescue of any oneimprisoned therein.

The secondary object of the invention is to provide an effectivegovernor for regulating the speed of the person descending, so that thedescent will be gradual and any injury which might be caused by a suddenor rapid descent prevented.

Vith the above objects in view the invention consists in certain novelfeatures of construction, which will be fully described in thespecification, particularly pointed out in the claim, and clearlyillustrated by the accompanying drawings, in which-- Figure l is a frontelevation of abuilding with my improved fire-escape in position.v

Fig. 2 is an enlarged side elevation of the mechanism at the top of thebuilding. Fig. 3 is an enlarged vertical sectional view of the same.Fig. 4. is a vertical section taken on Fig. 5 is a horizontal sectiontaken on the line 5 5 of the same iigure. Fig. 6 is a vertical sectionalview of the mechanism positioned at the bottom of the building, thechain ladder being removed. Fig. 7 is a detail view showing theconstruction of the ladder, same being illustrated in perspective.

Referring now more particularly to the accompanying drawings, Adesignates a plate adapted to be secured at the top of the cornice ofthe building, from which the standards B are raised, said standardscarrying at their upper ends the vertical bearing C, which iscounterbored at its upper end to receive the sleeve D. This sleeve isformed with the annular groove F. to receive the inner edge of asectional plate F, secured upon the upper end of said bearing andserving to prevent longitudinal movement of the sleeve. The upper end ofsaid sleeve isslotted and provided with ears G, to which thegovernor-arms H are intermediately pivoted, the inner ends of said armsprojecting into said sleeve and the outer ends carrying the balls orweights I.

A bevel-gear J is formed with a sleeve K, which is positioned in bearingC, in which it rotates, said gear resting upon an arm L, projecting fromone of the standards B and perforated in line with the bore of saidsleeves K and D. The bore of these sleeves is polygonal in cross-sectionto receive the polygonal portion M of shaft N, which is freely movablevertically in said sleeves, but rotates therewith.- This shaft projectsthrough the perforatiOn of arm L, in which it rotates, and on its lowerend carries the conical brake-block, which engages a conical shellP,threaded upon a stem or pin Q, raised from plate A. To the inner sideof this shell a sheet R of frictional material is provided, and when theweighted ends of the governor-arms are raised by cen-V trifugal forcetheir inner ends, which engage the upper end of said shaft, will bedepressed, forcing said shaft downwardly and causing the brake-block toengage the frictional material upon the inner side of t-he shell, thusserving as a brake to impede the rotation of said shaft, andconsequently the rotation of the beveled gear. Formed on one of saidstandards is a laterally-extending bearing S, in which a shaft T is journaled, the inner end of said shaft carrying a beveled gearU, whichmeshes with gear J. Sprocket-wheels V are secured upon said shaft, whichprojects beyond the cornice of the building, and around thesesprocketwheels pass the chains W, which chains are connected together atsuitableintervals by bars X, thus forming an endless ladder.

Secured tothe building, at the bottom thereof, is a plate a, carrying abearing b and an arm c, and mounted in said bearing and arm is a shaftd, having a crank e upon its outer end and carrying the sprocket wheelsf, around which said endless chains which con'- stitute the ladder pass.

The endless ladder being in close proximity to thev windows of thebuilding, it will be readily understood that in event of fire per; sonsin the various rooms may readily descend by grasping the ladder, theirweight effecting the movement of the same. The governor, the operationof which will be readily understood from the foregoing description,checks and prevents any sudden and rapid movement of the ladder, so thatthe descent is gradual. Should firemen desire to ascend to any of theWindows, or it being desired to raise any arti ele, it is simplynecessary to operate the ladder through the medium of the crank at thebottoni of the building.

From the above description it will be seen that I have produced a verysimple and effective iire-escape Which is reliable in its operation andby means of which persons may readily descend from any of the Windows ofa building in event of fire and have also provided a governor forpreventing a too rapid descent, so that all danger of injury isobviated.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new, anddesire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is-

In a fire-escape, the combination With shafts mounted at the top andbottom of the building, an endless ladder carried thereby, a beveledgear carried by one of said'shafts, a beveled gear meshing therewith, asleeve carried by the gear and revoluble in a suitable bearing, a secondsleeve revoluble in said bearing, governor-arms intermediately pivotedto said sleeves and having their inner ends projecting therein, a shaftmovable vertically in said sleeves but locked from independent r0-tation and engaged at its upper end by the inner ends of thegovernor-arms, a conical brake-block carried by said shaft, and aconical shell adapted to receive said block, substantially as set forth.

GEORGE FAB'E.

Titnessesz JOSEPH CONNELLY, B. F. HUFFT.

